Chute structure for telephone pay-stations.



APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.19M}.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.-

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GEORGE A. LONG, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO GRAY TELEPHONE PAY STATION COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF GON- NECTIOUT.

CHUTE STRUGTURE FOR TELEPHONE PAY-STATIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1%, EMS.

Application filed July 6, 1916. Serial No. 107,781.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon A. LONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chute Structures for Telephone Pay-Stations, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what I shall for convenience term a chute structure for telephone pay stations. This title, as noted, has been adopted for convenience and for the further reason that the organization is of particular utility when incorporated in or forming part of such an instrument. It can be used with equal advantage with other types of machines of the same general nature, the invention, as will be obvious, not being restricted to its employment in any particular field.

in telephone pay stations of the present type there are facilities for the reception and disposition of coins of three different denominations, viz. five-cent, ten-cent and twenty-live cent pieces. These coins in their descent along the respective runways strike signals of the proper kind, the effect of which is transferred to a central office operator by way of the transmitter forming part of the equipment. The terminal portion of the ten-cent or dime runway is of V-form or practically this shape and into it isusually merged the nickel runway. The ten-cent piece practically at the time it enters the up per leg of the V or similarly sha ped part, strikes a bell, follows the and then takes a turn, leaving the bend at the junction of the two legs of the V and entering and traversing the lower leg, striking the bell a second time as it leaves the chute. It is amatter of common occurrence that atthe bend the coin moves back and forth causing the transfer through the transmitter of-nietallic sounds; beside this owing to such movement of the coin, there is too 1on an interval between the two strokes of the bell. These conditions cause confusion to the operator who should'receive two distinct, clear tones to signify the fact that the subscriber or user of the pay station has deposited a dime. Y

The principal object of the invention is the provision of means of a positive character whereby the ten-cent piece, or it might be any other necessary check or token, is carried around this bend without delay and Without possibility of abnormal movement of the coin or analogous device.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I have shown in detail one convenient form of embodiment of the invention which to enable those skilled in the art to practice the same will be set forth fully in the following de scription. I do not restrict myself to this disclosure; 1 may depart therefrom in sevral respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a chute structure involving the invention shown incorporated in a telephone pay station partly represented by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in the preceding view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a rear elevation of the chute structure with the back section removed. Fig. 5 is a like view of the back section. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line 'T7 of said Fig. d but with a cover or back section on. Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7 on a very much larger scale showing how the coin is tipped.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In Letters Patent No. 912,889 issued to me February 16, 1909, is represented a compound chute, and the appliance of the present case performs all the oilices of that shown in said Letters Patent. The chute structure like the compound chute of said patent comprises means for the reception and forwarding of nickels, dimes and quarters, although this may not always be necessary. Each nickel in its movement along the device strikes a bell once, the dime strikes the same bell twice, while the quarter hitsva gong. This, however, is standard and well understood, requiring therefore, no further discussion.

The article shown involves in its make-up a main or body section as 2, an auxiliary or front section as 3 and an auxiliary or rear section as l In what is represented as the rear face of the body or main section 2 are two runways 5 and 6, the runway 5 being adapted for the reception of nickels, while the runway 6 is adapted for the passage of dimes. The two runways 5 and 6 are closed by the section or plate l, constituting a suitable cover for this purpose, the several sections including that numbered 4, being united in any desirable manner as by screws '7. The section t except as hereinafter set frn'tl'i is practically flat; the forward face of the section 2 is also fiat. The section 3 has a runway on its inner face to receive twentyfive cent pieces. This runway, as will be apparent, is covered by the intermediate or body section 2. The upper ends of the several runways coincide with slots opposite a coin gage 8 as it is known, surmounting the box 9 in which the chute structure is fixed, screws being ordinarily provided to mount the compound chute in the box or case 9.

The invention practically resides in the ten-cent runway or at least therein in conjunction with the nickel runway. The receiving end of the runway 6 is first at an incline and then vertical, the V-shaped ter-- minal portion leading from the vertical portion. 1 say V-shaped because this part of the runway 6 is virtually of this form, although at the junction of its legs or branches it is on a bend or curve. The five-cent runway 5 merges or cuts into the tencent runway 6 practically at the bend or curve thereof. Said runway 6 commencing approximately at its upper end and continuing to the bend in question is about the same in width as the diameter of a ten-cent piece. Beyond the bend and commencing with the lower leg of the V, the said runway is of greater width, being slightlygreater in width than the diameter of a five-cent piece, because both the niclrels and the dimes follow the lower leg of the V and are discharged therefrom into the usual coinbox. The ten-cent runway 6 is deeper than the five-cent runway, the consequence being that the ten-cent piece cannot enter the five-cent runway, the upper wall 11 of the V terminal 10 tending to guide the dime along the upper leg of the V and around the bend thereof and finally into the lower leg of the V, the wall 11 merging into the lower side face of the lower branch of the V just below the bend. The further control of the coin is insured by having the lateral face of the upper leg of the V on a" slant, the slant being in a forward, upward direction as shown. In view of this circumstance as soon as the ten-cent piece enters the upper branch of the V 10 and while rolling on the lower wall or bottom thereof, it is tipped forward, being maintained in this relation until the bend is passed, the forwardly inclined side wall of the V part 10 extending practically from the entering end thereof to the bend.

To obtain further and absolutely positive control of the dime or equivalent the stock of the cover or back section 4k is deflected as at 4 into the upper leg of the V portion of the runway 6 as shown for instance in Figs. 7 and 8, this deflected portion being practically coextensive with the upper leg of the V. The inner surface of the deflected portion is on a slant practically coinciding with the slant of the front wall of the upper leg of the V so that the coin is positively tipped over while traversing said upper leg, in view of which circumstance, the coin mentioned must of necessity follow accurately the V. It cannot jump into the nickel runway 5. The nickels, however, pass from the runway 7 into the lower leg of the V which lower leg might be considered practically to be a continuation of the nickel chute, because the nickels pass into the said lower leg.

What I claim is:

1. A chute structure comprising a coin runway having a V portion, one leg of the V being above the other 2. A chute structure comprising a coin runway having a V portion, one leg of the V being above the other, and a second coin runway opening into the first coin runway at the junction of the legs of the V, the V portion having means for positively guiding the coin around said junction.

3. A chute structure comprising a coin runway having a V portion, one leg of the V being above the other and said V portion having a bend connecting the two legs of the V, said chute structure having a second coin runway opening into the first coin run way at the bend, the first coin runway be ing deeper than the second coin runway.

4. A chute structure comprising a coin runway having a V portion, one leg of the V being above the other and said V portion having a bend connecting the two legs of the V, said chute structure having a second coin runway opening into the first coin runway at the bend, the first coin runway be ing deeper than the second coin runway, the side wall of the upper leg of the V being on a slant.

.5. A chute structure comprising a coin runway having a V portion, one leg of the V being above the other and the V portion at the junction ofthe legs being on a bend, said upper leg being narrower than the lower leg, said chute structure having a second coin runway opening into the first coin runway at said bend, the width of the second coin runway being substantially equal to the width of the lower leg of the V, and the upper leg of the V being deeper than the second coin runway to guide the coin around the bend.

6. The combination of a body element having two runways therein, the terminal portion of one runway being of 1' form,

and the side wall. of the upper leg of the V being on a slant.

slant approximately paralleling that of the front wall. of the upper leg of said V.

In testimony whereof I ailiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEOR {E A. LONG.

Witnesses 7 HELEN H. Hmvmxs, LOUISE R. BERMAX.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Washington, D. G. 

